Love's Outlaw
by AubreyWitch
Summary: In a dangerous time when curfews are set to protect against the evils of the night, one half demon seeks that which is forbidden: the love of a human. AU LIME InuKag
1. Chapter 1

Kagome sighed and sipped her diet cola as she quickened her pace. She was tired and a little anxious. That paper had taken her hours to research and write. She had finished just before the library locked-up for the night, and if she didn't hurry to her car, she would be out past curfew. It had been careless to lose track of time.

She glanced around her as she walked; the university campus was deserted. Even if it wasn't quite yet time for curfew this wasn't surprising; being out after dark was dangerous, and the sun had set a few hours ago.

She paused to consider briefly if she should take the longer route to her car through the parking lots or chance a quick short cut through the woods. She grinned, taking in the cool night air. Being out this late didn't happen often, and she wasn't about to pass up such a chance.

The wind rustled through her thick hair, cool against her neck as she trudged through the under brush, finding the beaten path which she knew would lead to a small lake. She had stumbled upon it one night and reveled in the breathtaking image of the moon glowering across the placid water. That memory seemed so long ago as she paused now, eyes scanning the blackened surface of the lake, disappointment splayed across her face.

The sound of approaching footfall caused her to whirl suddenly, a look of horror marring her beautiful features at the possibility of what she would see. A demon? She relaxed visibly as the young man stepped into the clearing, his dark eyes glinting in the moonlight. It was clear that she was still shaken as she offered a nervous laugh and raked trembling fingers through her dark locks in an effort to appear calm. "God, Chema, what are you doing here?"

She started to make a cliche remark about how he had scared her half to death, but the words died in her throat as he answered ominously, "I was following you."

She barely registered the sound of her cup as it hit the ground, the liquid contents seeping slowly into the dry dirt. He was holding something in his hand which called all of her attention. She knew what it was, and yet her mind couldn't seem to grasp the situation–the more she stared at it, the more time seemed to slow. She looked away from the syringe and watched as the cola pooled and trickled across the ground in dark rivulets. It seemed to draw her in, mesmerizing in its utter blackness, and as he rushed at her, she thought absently if only tonight hadn't been a new moon, it might have been worth it.

She felt her body impact with the hard earth and instinctively rolled to the side, a scream tearing from her throat to shatter the night calm. Strong fingers gripped her hair, and she kicked out, jerking her head away. Pain could come later. Her books were lost in the scramble to her feet. When she was knocked down the second time, her head connected with the ground and the wind rushed from her lungs painfully, stunning her in a momentary daze.

A startled yell snapped her back to her senses. Her eyes widened at the sight of the boy with his long black hair as he stood with his back to her, blocking the other man's path. Where had he come from?

That was the question Chema was now asking in so many words. She couldn't make out the boy's response before he attacked. She backed away slowly due to the searing pain and clutched her car keys where they had spilled from her bag. Every pulse of her heartbeat was screaming at her to run.

She glanced up and watched as the boy punched Chema square on the jaw. There was a sickening moment where his knuckles connected to the bone and then her attacker crumpled to the ground unconscious. The boy turned to her then, cracking his knuckles before jerking the syringe from his left arm and tossing it into the under brush.

He turned angry eyes on her then. "What the hell are you doing out this late, wench?"

Shakily, she rose to her feet, clutching the car keys tightly and somehow managed to keep her voice steady. "What do you want? I don't have anything."

He scowled at her and promptly spat, "ingrate," before turning to walk away. He managed a few wobbly steps before he passed out.

She hadn't realized she was holding her breath until she let it out in one long gush and the world came rushing back to her. She was on sensory overload as she tried to take in her surroundings–the cool, moonless summer night, the earthy smell of the woods, her own racing heart, her scattered school books and the two men unconscious on the ground. She could leave if she gathered her things quickly. But that wouldn't prevent this from happening again. She retrieved her cell phone and dialed the emergency number with unsteady fingers. She reported the assault to the 911 dispatcher and listened to the instructions. The police would arrive shortly. She needed to get to her car.

She gathered her belongings, pausing long enough to kneel beside the crumpled form of her unknown savior when she heard him groan lightly. Unable to help herself, she carefully rolled him onto his back. Brushing his thick bangs out of the way, she pressed her palm to his forehead in a comforting gesture. She watched his chest rise and fall deeply as his eyes blinked dully up at her. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn they held a dark violet coloration.

"Are you okay?"

He marveled at her concern for him and realized that it must be due to this night. "What the hell did he give me?"

He tried to get up but his vision blurred, leaving him dizzy and nauseous. His throat felt like he was trying to swallow cotton and his limbs felt unnaturally heavy. Damn this weak body.

"Probably some date rape drug," she commented sadly, her fingers brushing gently along his cheek.

Then again, the way that she looked at him made it worth it. "You shouldn't still be here. If he wakes up," he let his voice trail off, feeling a sudden urge of panic at the thought.

"The police are on their way. We need to get to my car. I won't leave you here, but I can't carry you, so please try to get up," she offered encouragingly.

The damn girl was putting herself in danger for him. He would have laughed at the thought had the situation not been so serious. "I can't talk to the police," he made it a statement while trying to roll over onto his side. The effort was met with little success.

His words set warning bells off in her head, reminding her that he really was a stranger, seemingly benevolent or not. "Why?"

Again she was met with the pressing urge to make it to her car. She shouldn't be out here.

"That's none of your concern." He winced at the harshness of his tone. And yet he was angry. Angry that he had failed her after watching out for her for so long. Angry that she wasn't yet his. Angry that she never would be. He turned his face away painfully. "Look, just get out of here. Worry about yourself."

She sighed deeply. He was right, and yet, "I said, I'm not leaving you."

He let her wrap her arms around him then and help him to a standing position. If he stayed here, the police would find him. It wouldn't be hard to figure out what he was through fingerprinting or a blood test, and then he would no longer be able to watch over Kagome. Then he would be dead.

Her embrace only made it more painful.

"Look, I'm fine," he tried, pushing her away. He turned to leave her and make his escape into the woods but found his ability to balance was still greatly impaired. He dropped to his hands and knees and vomited.

She held his hair out of the way and rubbed his back as if she had known him for years. It was utterly humiliating.

"Please, leave me alone."

At his request, she moved away, sadly resigned to his wishes and turned to go. She paused and called to him, "why did you do it?"

She could have meant a number of things: why had he saved her, why had he risked his life for hers, why had he followed her into the woods. The answer was the same. "Because, I love you."

Might as well be honest. She was never going to see him again.

Startled, she turned to look at him, but he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Inuyasha beat his fist into the ground again, anger contorting his features. _Damn it. _He needed to calm down. She was safe now. He peered over the water, clear and shimmering in the bright sun light. It wasn't the first time he had cursed the image he was met with. He peered at the yellow eyes which blinked back at him and the silver hair framing his face. The tiny dog ears on top of his head twitched in the wind, and he growled as he watched their movement in the liquid mirror. He slashed at the surface of the lake, angrily disrupting the image. If only he was human, things would be different. He sighed, willing himself not to follow that thought process. It was better not to dwell on such things. Besides, Kagome would be getting out of class soon; he should go.

He paused to look around the clearing by the lake, the familiar area spurring a feeling which could almost be considered fear. Last night, he had been careless. Kagome had stayed in the library for so long, and the sun was so warm as it beat down on him while he waited for her on the roof that he hadn't even realized he was falling asleep. When he had awoken to the moonless sky, it had been a shock to him. He should have been better prepared. He put both of them in danger. He was lucky that he had awoken as she was leaving, though it had taken him some time to climb down and catch up with her. He shuddered at the thought of what might have been had he arrived any later. He had failed her, but it wouldn't happen again.

"Forgive me," he whispered as he ran through the trees in the direction of her classroom.

* * *

"Higurashi!"

Kagome looked up from her notes startled. What had she been studying again? The wind rustled the loose paper in her hands as she turned her attention to the rapidly approaching boy. She leaned over the picnic table, propping herself up on one elbow and let out a deep sigh. Truth was, she hadn't been studying at all–she still couldn't forget the previous night's danger. It was like a haunting chill she couldn't shake.

"Houjou," she smiled with some effort.

He plopped down on the wooden bench, spilling his books across the table top. "Would you like to get some lunch with me? I don't have another class for two hours."

"Sure." She straightened, putting her notes away and rising from the table. The actions felt empty.

His grin widened, making her smile just a little more genuine, though the feeling never met her eyes. As they walked toward the dining hall, he babbled about his classes, and she felt her thoughts drift back to the previous night. It left her hollow, and she felt the smile slide from her face. She had been declared in shock and rushed to the hospital before being questioned about the event. She chose to press charges, and refused to comment about her mysterious savior claiming uncertainty and a vague memory, effectively leaving the police with only her attacker's account of him. She felt it was the least she could do for her hero.

She stopped walking when she recalled a striking image of his face. It wasn't the first time she let her mind drift to thoughts of him. The encounter was so strange, and yet she felt drawn to him because of it. Last night, she had cried herself to sleep and then dreamt of him.

"Higurashi?"

"Hmm?" She turned to look at Houjou surprised at his presence. What had she been doing?

"Are you okay?" Houjou had stopped as well and was staring with a concerned look into her eyes.

She frowned. "No, no. I think I'd better go home. I'm probably coming down with something, and I wouldn't want you to catch it."

He watched her go with a puzzled look on her face before continuing on his way to the dining hall.

* * *

Kagome sat in the empty house and felt just that–empty. Was it safe here? She laid back on the couch and stared at the ceiling, unwilling to close her eyes, unwilling to recall those images any longer. It wasn't long before she drifted to sleep. 

Inuyasha stared at the blank bedroom window impatiently. What was she doing in there? He didn't dare risk a glimpse of the livingroom. It wasn't like Kagome to skip her classes. Though he was sure last night had shaken her up. Maybe she needed some time off. He clenched his fist angrily. He couldn't even comfort her. Well, it didn't matter now. If he tried to comfort her, she would just run away screaming. He knew she wouldn't leave the house again, now that she was home, so he didn't worry when he jumped down from the tree and took off down the street.

* * *

From the outside the building was plain. The abandoned glass factory would have made a perfect shelter had it not already housed the largest demon gang in the state. When he entered the building, Yura was waiting. 

"You're late to report half-breed." Her words were loathsome and reprimanding.

He shrugged trying to play it off, "Got busy."

She laughed then, deep and throaty as if his words were the most amusing thing she had heard all day. "Oh, Inuyasha, you never do learn."

He jerked as two demons grabbed his arms, forcing him to his knees. "What do I owe the pleasure this time boys?" He laughed, and it was strained.

Yura descended the steps slowly as he watched her. Her breasts swayed from her sumptuous movements as she neared, but he found no pleasure in them.

"Always the ingrate," she chided as she approached, bending forward to cup his face. "If it weren't for us, you'd have been killed a long time ago."

He struggled under her touch despite himself. The outlook of this encounter was becoming less and less promising. "What do you want?"

She slapped him, the impact forcing his head to one side. He let his head droop as she continued to address him. "Only for you to do as you are told. You couldn't leave the girl alone could you?"

His heart raced. How could they have known already? She wrapped one hand through his hair, pulling his head back painfully. "You know that she's off limits. Meet with the girl again and we'll be forced to eliminate you. Do you understand?"

He grunted his acknowledgment, and she released him. "Now put yourself together, pet. You've got a job to do."

He was roughly deposited on the floor as the others left him. He shuddered and picked up the envelope before him. Inside it held only an address and a name.

* * *

She awoke with a start. The house was dark; was it night already? She sat slowly, touching her palm to her aching skull. Something felt wrong. No, she felt wrong. Different. She sighed, falling back to the soft cushions of the couch. She was being silly. 

It was then that she knew someone was in the house. She sat up abruptly, her wide eyes scanning the darkness of the livingroom as she fumbled silently for her cell phone. In the kitchen. She held her breath, as she strained to listen in the darkness. She heard nothing, but she knew.

She rose slowly, muscles tensed as she crept toward the kitchen. She was being paranoid; there would be no one there. In a final rush of bravery she flipped on the lights and forced herself to enter the kitchen quickly. The brightness assaulted her eyes, and when the pain subsided she breathed a sigh of relief. No one.

She needed a glass of water to help her calm down. Her heart raced as she stood before the refrigerator doors with her empty glass. There in the very center was a white slip of paper. 1600 New Park Avenue. While it held only an address, it confirmed her worst fear: someone had been in the house.


	3. Chapter 3

The black mustang was following her. She knew this because they were the only two cars on the road. And because its brights had been blinding her through the rearview mirror since she had pulled out of her driveway.

It was frightening and yet hard to believe–was it supposed to intimidate her? But who would want to follow her; she was a good girl. And yet in the past two nights she had been assaulted, almost raped, had her house broken into and was now being stalked.

Maybe she just had an overactive imagination. Glancing down at the note in her passenger seat, that seemed unlikely.

Kagome clutched the steering wheel tighter as she slowed for the stop light, the red hue washing over her pale features, blurred from the rainwater on the windshield. The mustang's lights were still painfully bright behind her, effectively blocking any view of the occupants. She listened to the heavy downpour and the whirl of her wipers as she waited for the light to change, weighing her options in the meantime. She could pull into the police station, but since she didn't have a permit to drive at night, it would cause more trouble than it was worth. Losing the car through evasive driving was out of the question. So she pulled through the intersection at a crawl, hoping the car would pass her once she didn't accelerate. When the car matched her speed–15 under the limit, she became more alarmed.

Just when she decided to go back home, the car turned onto a side street.

Kagome let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. All of this was ridiculous. Glancing at the address once more, she felt anger flush her cheeks. Did last night have anything to do with this? Now that she knew she was just being paranoid about that other car, she felt less afraid. And since she had come this far, she was going to find out what was going on. Besides, she didn't even have to get out of the car–she could just drive by and take a look.

But when she got there she realized that had been a stupid decision.

At first it looked nothing more than a shopping complex, closed for remodeling. The top lot of the parking deck was empty and pitch black in the absence of street lights, as all the other levels had been. She turned her high beams on to scan the area, but again found nothing more than some orange construction cones. Pulling into a parking space crookedly, she slammed into park and jerked the key out of the ignition in frustration. Nothing. Was this some kind of sick joke?

She climbed out into the rain, making sure to slam her car door in her anger. She sighed, shivering as the cold water soaked her clothing, holding back a bitter laugh. She clenched her fists, feeling like the queen of absurdity–that was until she spotted the man, crumpled and bleeding at the entrance to the closest department store.

She tore across the lot without a second thought, tennis shoes ripping through the puddles of water like a deafening in her ears. Even from her distance she could see the darkness that pooled around his limp form.

"Are you okay?" she cried in her approach, not for once suspecting a trap.

Kagome dropped to her knees in the diluted blood, her jeans now dyed red, as she reached out to touch the unconscious man's shoulder. She jerked away as if burned, falling backwards in an unceremonious splash. He was a demon.

How she knew this was a mystery, but she didn't bother to question it. Every bone in her body screamed at her to run away, just like it had the night before. She felt frozen as she cowered in the water, staring at his dark features–it was obvious now, from his distinct ears to his long, brown hair, thick and matted from the rain. He was dark and alluring, frightening–and bleeding.

She didn't know how long she would have sat there, torn between her instincts had she not suddenly been awash in blinding white light.

She was halfway across the parking lot and didn't remember having gotten to her feet. A girl with long, dark hair had abandoned the black mustang and was chasing her. She could hear the loud splashes which echoed her own as they each raced toward her car and the sound of her named being called. It was madness, and she had never been more terrified in her life. It didn't take a second glance to realized that bulge in her pursuer's suit jacket was probably a hand gun. Her heart thundered in her ears as she waited for the first shots to sound, time slowing as she neared the car.

But she was still too far away, and the girl was gaining on her. The rain drops seemed to hang in the sky as she tore through them, lungs screaming for air as she passed the staircase to the lower levels. In desperation, she threw her arm out unexpectedly to grab the railing, wrenching her body around from the force. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of her pursuer's startled face as she leapt over the railing, and then she was screaming as she sailed through the air, the passing stairs a blur in her descent. She landed painfully on hands and knees a few flights below and suddenly the world was once again turning as the downpour assaulted her back. There was a ringing in her ears, and she strained to hear the girl curse above her before thundering down the stairs.

She was up once more, running down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her–pain could come later. After clearing one more flight to be certain she was out of sight, she raced across the parking lot to the other set of stairs. She stopped, back pressed against the cold, concrete wall as she listened, hidden from view, for her pursuer's footfall. As she caught her breath, she felt the sweat trickle down her neck, mixing with the cold water that drenched her back. And then once the girl had passed her level, she was running once more, forcing herself up the stairs back to the top level. She felt as if she would collapse, but pushed herself harder, sure that the woman would be on her heels any moment, terror driving her harder at the thought.

And then she was in the car, peering out of the fogged window at the empty parking lot. She had made it, and the girl was no where to be seen. She gripped her keys shakily, trying once more to catch her breath. She didn't care that her seats were soaked or that she would have ugly bruises in the morning. She did care that there was still a man bleeding on the other side of the parking lot. From this distance he looked dead, and she found herself staring, the image burning itself into her memory. _But he's not dead. _The thought came to her from no where, and she suddenly felt guilty. But there was nothing she could do for him now, except go to the police. She let out a sigh and reached for the ignition.

"I had hoped you'd be less predictable."

She yelped at the voice, turning with wide eyes to the man in her passenger seat. He sat with his legs crossed and his hands folded on his knee, a smug smile of victory gracing his face. She took in his short, black hair and indigo eyes, feeling her mouth gape slightly, the keys slipping quietly from her fingers.

Finally, she let her shoulders slump in defeat. "Who are you?"

* * *

Inuyasha licked the blood from his claws slowly, deliberately. It was times like these when his body sang with the need to kill. Absently, he thought that he was losing control. But the primal part of him laughed at this thought. _More._

Somehow, he hadn't meant to kill the lesser demon; it had merely been a reflex when he was ambushed. But now the bakery was painted with blood stained flour, and he couldn't wipe the grin from his face. The bastard had probably deserved it.

But there was a purpose for his presence here. That thought alone helped to slow his racing heart and add resolve to his resistance. He had come for a fox demon.

Most of them had been wiped out weeks ago when the small group decided to side with the Ookami pack. And yet one had gotten away; a very important one. So here he was about to earn his keep by executing the Kitsune dynasty's only remaining heir. He smiled languidly at the thought. "I know you're here. You stink of the grave already, so you might as well come out and face your death bravely."

"I'll take my revenge!"

Inuyasha grinned, flexing his bloodstained claws as he turned toward the direction of the voice. He could already feel himself slipping away. He was going to enjoy this.

The air before him was swirling darkness, and suddenly he was on fire. For a moment his concentration broke and he was himself once more, panic sweeping his body before he realized the flares weren't hot to the touch. He held out his hand, watching the tiny flames lick at his skin in fascination. Was this some kind of trickery, that he was unable to feel the pain until it killed him? He reached up to scratch his head, staining a tuft of his hair red. And then he yelped, finally feeling pain. But it wasn't what he expected. In surprise, he glanced over his shoulder to the fox clawing at his back, teeth embedded in his skin. He reached back to get a firm grasp before ripping the demon from his shoulder.

And suddenly his head was all too clear. It was just a little kid.

For the first time he felt nauseated, his own unwanted memories flooding his mind. He had become his own nightmares, a monster hunting for a child's blood.

"Look, kid, if you know what's good for you, you'll get out of here and never look back."

The kit struggled in the air, hatred gleaming in his tear-streaked face. "I'll kill you for what you did to my parents!"

Inuyasha sighed and tossed him across the room hard enough to keep him from attacking again. "I'm not the one you want. Leave the state and forget about your life here; it's gone."

He walked off, ignoring the sniffles of the little fox, a feeling of guilt clenched tight in his gut.

* * *

It was strange to look upon the man handcuffed to the hospital bed. Well, maybe hospital bed was the incorrect term. They weren't in a hospital–they were in an underground, government medical facility. And it was a hell of a lot dingier than the movies would ever portray.

Kagome thought the handcuffs seemed a little silly. Weren't demons supposed to possess superhuman strength? Absently, she reached out to touch one of his wrists and jerked back in surprise. Had the metal somehow tingled? It wasn't exactly a painful shock, but there was an almost electric hum to the restraint. She huddled deeper in the scratchy, wool blanket, trying to get warm. But secretly she suspected her chill wasn't just skin deep.

_They_ hadn't wanted her to be in his room in case he was violent when he awoke, or so they had said. She suspected that the real reason was still hidden, which was exactly why she was in his room now.

He was simply called Kouga, and was the young leader of the Ookami tribe. He was also the man she had found in the parking lot. Kouga's wolf tribe was the only current opposition to Onigumo, the largest demon mafia in the state. In truth, all of it made her head spin.

She had never seen him before in her life, but apparently it was him who had placed the note in her kitchen. So now she wanted answers. She should be angry that he put her in a dangerous situation, but seeing him now bandaged in the bed softened her. She reached up, brushing her fingers across the tan skin of his cheek. "Why were you there alone?"

He stirred at her touch, opening his eyes slowly. She felt surprised when she saw their coloration; she had expected brown eyes to match his dark features, but instead she blinked into bright blue pools which shown from his intensity.

"Kagome."

His use of her name startled her. All of her questions pressed against her in that one moment, threatening to overflow her if she didn't express them. "Why?"

That one word covered everything, and at the same time it was all she could manage.

"I'm just an ordinary girl."

He laughed at her, and it was rich and deep like his features. "Kagome, Kagome. You're anything but ordinary."

She frowned, suddenly not liking the way he used her name. "Please, don't condescend to me."

She let her bitterness at the past days' events leak into her voice and watched as he responded to it. He looked away slightly, examining the small room's furnishings, his eyes distant. "I'm sorry."

She didn't think a man like him was used to apologizing often so she let it go. Besides, there were more important things that needed discussing. "If you wanted to meet with me, why didn't you just do it when I was at school or at home. You could have easily when you broke into my house. Why go to the trouble you did?"

He smiled but it held no humor. She really didn't understand. "I knew they were watching you. I thought maybe if you could sneak away–I needed to talk to you alone." He sighed deeply, "but I guess they knew all along."

"Who?"

He let the smile slip from his face, lifting the metal cuffs weakly as an explanation.

She sighed in response, raking her fingers through her damp hair. Yes, that's why they were there. They had been watching her. But why? They said they were protecting her, but didn't disclose from what or who. Had they been protecting her from Kouga? He didn't seem like he had planned on hurting her. But then, who had hurt him?

"The Patrol."

She let the words slip from her mouth, and he nodded in affirmation. In all of her 18 years, she had never before seen any member of the elite demon control force, but now she was on a first name basis with at least two agents. It seemed very surreal.

Miroku, the man from her car, entered the room then, his smug smile firmly in place. Not one to waste time, he greeted, "Ready for a little talk, Kouga?"

Kouga didn't seem happy to see the agent, and she couldn't blame him. Who knew what a questioning session might involve. There was no public eye here.

The female, Sango, was ready to usher Kagome from the room, already flooding her with concerned questions: did she need another blanket, she should get some sleep, how about some coffee or a snack. Obviously, the agents had been hoping to prevent any conversation between the two.

Kagome frowned, feeling frustrated and stressed at the situation. She still didn't have any answers. A part of her was scared to be in a government facility, and part of her just wanted to go to bed. But mostly she felt emotionally drained and at the end of her patience. "I want some answers." When the two looked at her skeptically she scowled, "Now."

* * *

It was early morning by the time Inuyasha returned to Kagome's house. It had taken time to convince Yura of his success without the aid of a body. Plus, she had an eerie knack for knowing when he was lying. He hoped for his sake at least, that the kid took his advice and ran for his life. He still felt a little sick about the whole affair; Kagome would be horrified if she knew what he had almost done.

_Monster, _he heard her voice cut through his mind. He cringed. But it was the truth; he was a monster. Glancing at his claws now, he couldn't deny that he had enjoyed the feel of thick blood as it coated his hands. But she hadn't been what stopped him. He didn't want to be a mindless animal that killed simply for the pleasure. He wanted to feel things as only a human could and have control over his own body. But humans were so damn weak. And he couldn't change what he was any more than he could change the stars.

She was sleeping in her bedroom now. The sight of her made him snort; at least she had finally had sense enough to climb into her own bed. He smiled, brushing away his sudden feeling of loneliness. Now that he could see that she was safe and sound, he could rest. As he drifted off to sleep he thought that it was nice to have someone to look after. It was better than when he lived in fear alone in the streets, better than when he had been hunted for simply being alive. That's why he joined Onigumo; so he could live. But of course in it he found only death.


	4. Chapter 4

"This is a suicide mission!" Inuyasha felt his outrage getting the best of him. He crumpled the envelope and let it drop to the ground. "I won't do it."

"Oh?" Yura practically purred with pleasure. She leaned back in the wooden chair, uncrossing her legs and leaving him with a wide view. It would have been seductive had he not witnessed the bloody mass that occupied the chair before her. He didn't want to know who it had been.

"Well, I suppose you have every right to refuse as a member of this organization."

He looked at her warily, feeling any hope he had left drain away. "I do?"

She laughed then, deep and jubilant but her eyes held a sinister edge. "I'll just have to tell Kagura about your decision to leave the organization. You don't think she'll mind do you? If you're lucky, Naraku might not even find out. He's not much interested in the workings on our level, you know." She pursed her lips as if deep in consideration.

He looked to the ground solemnly, balling his hands into shaking fists and feeling slick blood coat his fingers in the process. He let his shoulders slump, relaxing his fists so that his fingers once more hung limply at his sides. He looked at his torn palms, eyes distant and jerked at Yura's sudden touch. It amazed him how quickly she could move sometimes. She leaned close to him, gripping his shoulder tightly as she whispered against his neck, "If you're lucky they'll send your dear brother."

He jerked away from her as if stung, wiping at the place where her lips had met his skin, only managing to smear blood across his neck. "I'll do it, okay."

She smiled wickedly, "And here I was hoping they'd give you to me once they were finished. Pity you changed your mind."

He scowled, already walking away from her. "It's not like I had a choice," he called over his shoulder.

* * *

Kagome was missing more and more of her classes. The fact that her grades were getting worse was depressing, but she just didn't have the will to study anymore. It all seemed so irrelevant to her training. Not that she was actually in training to become an agent, but it had been deemed necessary to learn some self-defense. And since the Patrol offered some of the best practice facilities for free, who was she to turn down such a generous offer? In truth, she suspected it was just a ploy to make it easier for Sango and Miroku to keep an eye on her. And Kouga had even offered his protection, though she declined it. She didn't quite feel comfortable having gangsters watch over her house, not that secret government agents were any more comforting or normal–where was she going with this thought process again? 

She groaned, letting her head sink to the desk. It had been two hours and her studying had proven fruitless again. What did she need all this protection from anyway? That was the question no one seemed willing to answer. It was unsettling and left a bad taste in her mouth.

She was just about to call Sango and complain again when the phone started ringing. She jumped, letting out a sigh of frustration at her nervousness and quickly snatched up the receiver. "Hello?"

Not surprisingly, it was Kouga. He had been persistent in pursuing her attention ever since their first conversation nearly a month ago. It was oddly sweet, but well, he was a demon and might have killed some people. Okay, probably had killed people. And because of that she didn't feel right accepting his attention. At least that's what her brain was telling her she should do. Her body seemed to like acting of it's own separate accord recently.

His voice was deep and oozed of confidence, and his seductive, "Hey babe," sent shivers down her spine.

Suddenly she found herself grinning into the receiver. "How did you get this number?"

She tried to sound irritated and failed miserably. He laughed in turn, countering with, "I have my ways."

"It's because you're the new lap dog for our friendly Patrol isn't it?"

His voice held less humor as he responded to her taunting with, "Ouch."

It was clear to anyone that Kouga was unhappy with the fact that a transmitter chip had been surgically placed into his arm before he was released, though he tried to hide the temporary scar behind a leather wrist band. She hadn't bothered to ask but was fairly certain that its removal would bring consequences to the young wolf. And she was finding herself more curious as to its purpose with each new encounter.

"Didn't it ever occur to you that maybe it's because of who I am?"

She could hear that cocky smirk once more in his voice. But she wondered, what other compromises had been made for his freedom? She didn't think the infamous Patrol would take lightly to setting free their captured demons. At least, she had never heard of any instance. But then again, the agency was shrouded in mystery.

"So how's the woman of my dreams?"

He had used her hesitation to change the subject. She laughed, though it wasn't genuine. "There must be something you want."

He continued the banter with, "You wound me," but paused before answering truthfully, "I want you to come out with me tonight."

She felt her heart rate increase at the thought. "At night?" _It's dangerous. _The words pounded in her mind but remained unspoken.

He laughed deeply, and again she felt his voice affect her physically. This time she blushed, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"I'll have some of my boys pick you up. Don't worry, you won't be in any danger with us."

And just like that he was gone. She was left alone listening to the buzz of a dead line. Who was she to refuse a mob boss?

* * *

Inuyasha's gaze flicked back to the beach bar a few lights down, across from the pier. The female agent had followed Kagome here, and that was going to be a distraction for him. He should be over there making sure that fucking wolf kept his hands off of her. But first he had a job to do. 

The setting sun cast a small shadow from her figure, and he watched it, intent on the sway of her pony-tail. This was suicide. She was one of the Patrol's top agents, and the sun was scheduled to set at any moment. Then he would be powerless in the middle of a death fight. They had set him up good this time. But he didn't have the option of refusing. It wasn't the first time he had regretted joining the demon group, but truthfully he had needed the protection once, and he had been too short sighted as a child to recognize the potential consequences. But it was useless to regret something he couldn't change. He gave a wry smile and stepped from the side of building, leaving the safety of the shadows to fall into stride behind her. Sango tensed but kept walking, and it was then that he knew he was going to lose.

* * *

She couldn't get over how well he had healed. From the moment he had picked her up, Kagome had been staring at his smooth, gorgeous skin. And from his arrogant smile, he was well aware of it. Kouga slid his arm around her waist, causing her to tense slightly. He leaned into her then, whispering into her hair, and she looked away from the men across the table with their carnal eyes. He was saying something about a precious jewel, refering to her possibly, but her mind wandered from his words. She would never be able to forget the images of that night. He had looked so weak, on the verge of death that first time. And now it was the difference between night and day. He was confident, strong, vital—aggressive. It seemed suddenly overwhelming. 

She had to get away. "I need to use the ladies' room; excuse me."

She didn't wait for his acknowledgement, and Kouga watched her as she made her way across the dimly lit room, cerulean eyes lit with curiosity and darker things. He turned back to his companions with a wolfish grin before taking a swig of beer, the bottom of the brown bottle clinking against the table as he set it down a little too forcefully.

"You're sure she's the one?" a man with blond hair and pale green eyes asked suspiciously from across the table. "She seems an ordinary girl to me."

Kouga's eyes narrowed despite the unoffending nature of the inquiry. "I'm telling you, she'll bring prosperity to this tribe. And don't any of you forget that she's mine. I'll split anyone open who touches her."

The eyes of the other wolves at the table glittered dangerously, each of them secretly enthralled to hear their leader sounding more like his old self again. They had begun to worry after his incident with the Patrol. But if he was acting this way over a mere human girl, then maybe she would prove useful afterall.

* * *

He was leaving a trail of blood in the sand. He turned to face the female agent, back to the water and felt rather than saw the sun dip below the waves. It was all over. Inuyasha dropped to one knee in the sand, his pain threshold instantly lowered as a human. He fought the nausea and desperation as he looked up at her, advancing on him, gun trained on his chest. 


	5. Chapter 5

Kagome had chosen a sleek black dress for the night, complimented with some strappy heels which she now wobbled on in the bathroom. The door vibrated from the loud music, and she leaned against the wall trying to drown it out. Lately, she had been fighting bouts of unexpected nausea. She stumbled forward, steadying herself over the sink, feeling as if her bare palms would sear right through the counter. She peered at the image of her pale face and felt like she could cry. What was wrong with her?

The door burst open, slamming roughly against the wall. Kagome spun around, nearly losing her balance, her mouth parted in a startled cry. "What—"

"Shut up," the man barked, grabbing her arm and throwing her against the metal stall. She crumpled from the impact, sliding slowly to the floor, but was jerked roughly back up. "Give me the jewel."

She stared at him incredulously, trying to focus on his face and mostly failing. His hands burned where they touched her, and she was certain that he was a demon. "What—"

He slammed her back into the wall, causing her to cry out. "Don't lie to me; I can smell it all over you."

Where was Kouga? "I-I'm not wearing any jewelry. You can see for—"

She choked on her words as his hand encircle her throat, and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Panic gripped at her, and she felt as if she would burst from the building pain inside of her. Her eyes grew wide as a piercing light overtook the room, and she felt as if something had burst from her body. She slumped as the light faded, free of her attacker's grasp. The pain had disappeared and so, apparently, had the demon. Kagome stumbled out of the bathroom, expecting to be attacked again at any moment as she hobbled toward the back exit and flung herself into the cool night air. She gasped, trying to breathe in the chilled comfort and ripped her heels off before taking off down the beach.

* * *

Inuyasha felt nothing as a human, but it was obvious that Sango had. One moment he was a dead man, and the next she had simply disappeared. It worried him that she had taken off so quickly toward the road, a look of fear momentarily marring her features. He knew from that look that something was wrong with Kagome, and his stomach churned as if he would vomit. He slumped to the sand, gritting his teeth against the pain and growing desperation. What could he do as a human? He should have known that Kouga would fail her. And before he knew it, he was up and moving, forcing his body toward the direction of the beach club. He might not be able to stand against demons, but he was going to die trying. 

The effort was slow and painful, and the night sky had grown black by the time he felt he had made it even half way. He had failed her again. The thought scared him, and he found it difficult to swallow. He turned toward the water, angry at his human eyes in the darkness. It was like being blind, a weakness he couldn't accept right now. It was maddening. What if he wasn't even moving in the right direction anymore? He forced himself to continue in the direction he thought he should be going, kicking up sand in his frustration, and it was then that a movement to his left caught his eye.

She had jerked at the sound behind her, fearful that the demon had finally caught up to her, but relaxed when she saw his face. "It's you."

He stopped at the sound of her voice, his heart racing as he strained his eyes to find her. She stood slowly, unsure that he remembered her, and he felt relief wash over him at the sight of her form. She was okay. He stood silent, trying not to let his emotions show on his face and knew how it must appear.

She started to speak, but he cut her off.

"You shouldn't be out here." His words were clipped, harsh. He was angry and afraid from his shortcomings, and it manifested in his words.

She looked away, in an almost shameful manner, and he hated himself even more.

"It's dangerous." It was a lame explanation, and she only nodded silently. What was wrong with him? He opened his mouth to try and fix things, but she looked up at him, and he saw tears in her eyes.

He was speechless.

She swiped at her eyes rapidly, letting out a strained laugh. "I'm sorry. I don't—"

He closed the distance between them, cupping her face with one hand as he wiped her cheek with his thumb. "Don't." He struggled for more words, but anything he could say seemed lacking. Everything was his fault.

She peered up at him, surprised. "You're limping."

He let his hand fall and looked away, jaw set. He shouldn't have touched her; he was making a mistake. She placed her palms on his chest, causing him to jerk. She pulled her hands away slowly, hurt by his reaction, though she knew she was being ridiculous. He was a stranger and cared nothing for her. She forced a smile before turning back toward the water and once more plopping down into the cold sand. "Isn't the sky beautiful at night?"

She fell silent, and he realized she was waiting for him to respond. He felt torn and knew that what he was about to do was reckless, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her. Slowly, he lowered himself beside her. "Yes."

She smiled, genuinely this time, and laid back, face tilted toward the star-sprinkled sky. "We don't get to see it very often. This is the demon's domain."

He didn't tell her that he slept under it every night.

She tilted her head to look at him as he settled on his back in the sand. "Won't you tell me your name?"

He met her cobalt eyes and marveled at their intensity. "No."

She looked back to the sky, letting a deep sigh leak from her body. "Okay."

Accepting. The line of her neck was smooth and sensual in the darkness. His eyes followed the pale line to her collar bone slowly, and he couldn't help himself. "You aren't like this with everyone." It wasn't a question, though she took it as one.

"No."

He felt her palm press against his, and he closed his fingers through hers, eyes wide as he peered at the sky.

"Will you walk me home tonight?"

He smiled for the first time, gripping her hand tighter. "Yes."

* * *

Everything felt groggy when Kagome awoke the next morning. She yawned, blinking slowly at the red digital numbers of her alarm clock. She had missed her morning classes. She closed her eyes, pulling the covers over her head, feeling tired and depressed. It had all been a dream. It was stupid to think that she'd ever meet him again, or that he would even remember her. And it was painful to keep dreaming about him. 

She slid out of bed slowly and rubbed her hands through her hair. She started across the room and gasped when she saw her image in the mirror. She was still wearing her black dress, and it was covered in sand. She glanced around the room, taking notice of a light dusting of granules in trails across her carpet. Oddly, they seemed to lead to her slightly ajar bedroom window. She tapped her fingers on the ledge before sliding the window closed and locking it in place. Perhaps he had thought her bedroom needed to cool down, though she couldn't remember coming home last night. Perplexed, she thought back to her last memory of the night. She was on the beach, head resting on his shoulder. And then she had closed her eyes.

But she couldn't have fallen asleep, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get her home. She rubbed her palm against her eye and stifled another yawn. He must have woken her up along the way for directions.

Kagome tried to be nonchalant about the whole event, but her heart was racing as she brushed her teeth. She had forgotten to thank him, again, for possibly saving her life. Why was she such an idiot around him? But more importantly, she wanted to see him again. And it wasn't likely, seeing as how she had been too passed out to give him her number. She leaned forward, resting her forehead on the cold ceramic sink. God, she really was an idiot.

* * *

Inuyasha was an idiot. There was no other word to explain it. How could he have done something so illogical when he knew that his very life was at stake? 

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!"

He stopped pacing long enough to throw an enraged punch at the nearest tree. Missing, he tumbled forward with a surprised yelp. There ahead of him was the lake, where he had messed up for the first time. He stared, unmoving. It was over. The realization stung, the hurt nearly palpable.

He had failed to kill the female agent before sunrise, and he had made contact with Kagome for a second time. It was only a matter of time before Naraku's men came to find him and one by one rend the limbs from his body. He curled in on himself, hugging his knees to his chest. Maybe he could kill some of them, but he knew from experience that when Naraku decided to kill someone, he wouldn't stop until they were well and truly dead. Which meant that he was going to have to leave Kagome for good and flee the state.

The idea of it sickened him.

Something had changed in Kagome since the night she was assaulted for the first time. He could smell it, a difference in her scent. And he could tell already that it was starting to attract demons. Could he trust the Patrol to protect her?

But more importantly, could he live without her?

Somehow he doubted that his life would be the same without her warm, wide smile. Especially after he had felt the full effect of it directed at him the previous night.

Something sounded in the nearby underbrush, and he shot up like a bird taking to flight. His eyes were wild, searching as he whirled, and his heart leapt into his throat at the sight before him.

Onigumo's very own Thunder Brothers stood before him looking bored and apparently waiting for his move.

Inuyasha forced himself to appear calm, ignoring the thundering of his blood in his ears. "A little early to get started, don't you think, boys?" His attempt to lighten the situation fell flat, and his false smile faltered.

He heard a feminine chuckle and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Once I heard the news, I couldn't wait to come claim you."

He stiffened as Yura brushed her fingertips across his shoulders before circling in front of him. Her eyes crinkled; she could have kissed him.

"God," he breathed in horror. "This is a university campus."

She seemed amused by his words and pursed her lips in mocking consideration. "I don't mind casualties, pet. Do you?"


	6. Chapter 6

Miroku checked the time on his cell phone, unwilling to accept the reality of the contrasted digital numbers. Finally he tucked the phone away, resting his elbow against the driver's side window where he slumped, his free hand drumming its fingers over the steering wheel impatiently. It had been a solid 15 minutes since Kagome had excused herself from her afternoon class, presumably to use the bathroom. He fought the urge to reach for the binoculars again, knowing that she wouldn't be there. Maybe he should go up and check on her, just to make sure everything was okay. It would be easier if Sango was with him, but she had spotted the half-demon earlier and took off to either apprehend him or properly finish him this time–insisting that she could do it alone. It was true that one of them had to stay and watch Kagome, but he suspected she still held a grudge from their last encounter.

"So he follows her even to school, huh?"

Why had Onigumo chosen a mere half-breed to watch over Kagome out of all its members? It was true that he seemed no threat to Kagome and thus had merely been observed up until this point, but he had attacked Sango the night before which changed everything. Attacking an agent was a class one offense and the easiest way to make enemies fast. Idly, he wondered if the half-demon had even realized that he'd already been marked. Miroku caught a glimpse of long, dark hair out of the cornerr of his eye and jerked forward, immediately losing his train of thought.

"Shit!"

Well, he had finally spotted Kagome. But she was several hundred feet away and hurrying determinedly in the direction of Sango and the half-demon. He fumbled his way out of the car, slamming the door and tripping over himself in his attempt to catch up with her. Of course she had ditched class to head straight for the danger zone, if only he had realized that sooner.

"Kagome! Kagome, wait!"

She never once turned to acknowledge his voice.

* * *

Inuyasha managed to kill one of the Thunder Brothers because he was slower and stupid beyond his arrogance. He felt the familiar tingle of his body fighting against his mind for control and forced himself to look away from the bloodied body that had been his opponent. The feel of the drying blood where it coated his arm all the way up to his elbow caused his skin to crawl, the scent of it making his nose itch, stroking his desire, but his own surging adrenaline was suffice to keep it at bay. If he lost himself here who knew how many innocent bystanders would feel the pain of his claws. 

Yura didn't seem the least bit deterred in her amusement as she congratulated him for his small victory with mock applause where she leaned casually against the trunk of a nearby tree. "Well done, Inuyasha. I'm surprised."

Her laughter showered around him like the tinkling of glass, gentle and sensuous. His reaction was immediate, crimson coated claws outstretched as he lunged at her without thought. "You're next!"

She dodged deftly, more laughter raining upon him as he marred the tree where she had been. He cried out as he was struck hard from behind without warning, the remaining brother's grief induced rage a promise of pain and defeat.

* * *

Inuyasha's right arm had been shattered in the moment that the female agent arrived, but he had been losing long before that. Inuyasha gasped as his fall broke the surface of the lake, and then he was under, the cold water shocking before he felt the true anguish. Air bubbled violently on the surface as he choked from the sudden electrocution while Hiten's lightening rod held him firmly in place where it dug into his stomach. Weakly, he gripped the wooden shaft with his good hand in an attempt to dislodge the weapon but ended up channeling more electricity through his body in the process. His vision blurred as the cloud of white hair became tinged with red, and he let out his last gasp of air. 

Yura tore her attention away from the ensnared agent long enough to shout over her shoulder, "Don't kill him yet."

Sango took the distraction to break free from Yura's demon hair, and it was then that Kagome burst into the clearing, eyes wild and searching.

Sango gasped in surprise, unable to comprehend Kagome's unexpected presence momentarily before panic overtook her body. "Kagome, no!"

A lightening attack was already headed her way. Sango watched in horror, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop it. Time slowed as Kagome realized she was in danger, seemingly for the first time and froze, muscles tensed for the impact, her eyes brimming with fear and confusion. A scream tore from her throat, and the world was moving again, a blur of white covering her in an instant before she was gone. The ground erupted in her place from the power of the blast, and Sango blinked in mild shock.

"Watch where you're aiming, you idiot," Yura shouted angrily, drawing back slightly in the process. "You want to get us killed?"

Kagome's clothes were soaked and sticking to her body in places where she was pressed against him. She shivered against the cold sensation, subconsciously gripping him tighter as she buried her face against his neck in an effort to avoid looking so far down.

"What the hell were you thinking coming here?"

The demon was talking to her in a low voice but it was obvious that he was angry. But more than that, he sounded worried. And his body was trembling slightly against her. She was breathing heavily, more so than he, her mind racing to process everything that had happened. And then the realization struck her. He was scared. But what would a demon have to fear?

"Don't drop me." Her own voice was shaky, and she felt breathless.

His left arm tightened around her waist, his right hanging limply at his side.

"Planning to hide behind a human, Inuyasha?" Hiten jeered suddenly, interrupting their moment.

Inuyasha caught the image of Hiten below, eyes still crimson wild, hair billowing around him where the air crackled with his energy and knew that even though it meant his death, he would sacrifice the girl in order to kill Inuyasha.

"If you hurt her–" Sango interjected, menacingly.

"Keh." It was soft, so only Kagome could hear it, feel the vibration of it in his chest and the way his jaw clenched in defiance. "We're going down."

It was the only warning she got before her feet had left the tree branch and they were plummeting toward the ground. She inhaled but forgot to scream as his familiar scent suddenly hit her, and then they had landed. Her feet touched down softly and she was alone, watching him a few yards ahead where he had placed himself between her and the other demons. She shivered from his noticeable absence, hugging herself to hide the reaction. What was this feeling? Sango came rushing to her side, followed by a breathless Miroku but she barely noticed, her head cocked slightly to the side as she watched the white-haired boy. Her hand found her lips as she realized what her mind had been trying to grasp since he had grabbed her. That familiar scent. She knew his scent. But how? It would mean . . .

Sango was shaking her, and she lost her near realization when she focused her attention on the present once more.

"Are you okay?"

Her friend must have been repeating it for some while if the way that she gripped Kagome's arm almost painfully now was any indication. "I'm fine, Sango. It's okay."

Kagome fought the urge to look back to Inuyasha, keeping her attention trained on Sango's worried face even as her thoughts wandered.

After catching his breath, Miroku had joined Inuyasha in resistance against Hiten. He let out a sharp cry when Yura caught him off-guard, her wire-like hairs slicing at his left thigh. At the sound, the girls turned their attention to the fight, and Kagome watched the blood soak through his pants to pool on the ground. Suddenly, she felt a burning behind her left eye and doubled over, palm pressed over the area, an unsuppressed cry escaping her lips.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha glanced to her and was thrown back by a sharp blast from Hiten's lightening rod. He skidded toward the lake before he was flying once more through the air in a counterattack, claws ripping through the fabric of Hiten's shirt. But he was left with only cloth, cursing at his inability to strike with only one hand.

Yura was skillfully evading an onslaught of bullets when several lodged in Hiten's chest. She hissed, suddenly angry. Both agents had now joined the fight. "Come on, we can't win here."

Hiten ignored her, attention still focused solely on Inuyasha as he continued to attack, seemingly unfazed by the wounds in his frenzy for revenge. "I'll kill you for what you've done."

A bullet caught Yura's shoulder, and she glared at the male agent before jumping backwards into the trees. If Hiten wanted to die here it was his choice, but she wouldn't stay to watch.

"She's gone!" Miroku shouted back to Sango, angry at his inability to follow her due to his injured leg.

"I can't leave Kagome," she answered, frustrated at the turn of events.

He nodded, falling back to keep a closer watch on the girls as the two remaining demons continued to battle it out. "What should we do?"

"Help him."

Both agents looked to Kagome in surprise, and Sango immediately bent to support her weight as she stood, an unnecessary action but one meant with good intentions.

"He saved me," she explained dryly as if the reasoning was perfectly clear and paused, waiting for their following action.

"But, Kagome," Sango offered, not sure how to explain the situation concerning the previous night. Finally she settled on, "He's a demon."

Kagome frowned and pulled away from Sango to get a better view of the fight. Sadly, she answered, "Can't you see he's losing?"

Her own words slightly surprised her. Why did she care if two demons killed each other? From here he looked amazing, whirling around and flashing his claws—long, white hair thrown back behind him as he charged without hesitation. She had never seen anything like it before, and watching him like that, she couldn't argue that he truly was a demon. But somehow she felt that maybe he was just a boy who wasn't all that different from her.

"Do something."

She looked back to them expectantly, fighting to keep control of her emotions. Finally Miroku nodded and moved to join the fight.

"But your leg!" Sango called after him in protest.

"It's nothing," he answered and swerved to avoid being slashed at the end of Hiten's blade, dropping to a side roll as he fired another round at the demon.

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief when Hiten finally died. In the end, it was a combination of his claws ripping through his throat and the blood loss from the bullets. Only then had the vengeful demon fallen. So he had survived the first round, ironically thanks to the Patrol. No, they wouldn't have helped him. It was thanks to Kagome. He fell back against a nearby tree, supporting his weight against the rough bark when his legs threatened to give out.

"What are you doing here," he called to Kagome angrily. She should have been in class. He never thought that he would endanger her, and the realization made his heart race.

She was surprised when he address her, but answered truthfully. "I was looking for something. It felt—" she paused, struggling for the right word. Urgent was what she wanted to say, but that just didn't sound right. Finally she settled with, "different."

Not surprisingly, he scowled at her explanation, but she didn't bother to wonder why he even cared. "What does that mean?"

"It was you that I was looking for." The words slipped out before she even realized she had thought them, and she gasped, embarrassed slightly by her outburst. Even so, she realized that the words were true.

"How—?" His eyes were wide, unbelieving, and she marveled at their coloration.

He looked away sharply, face flushed, unwilling to fall for her words. She couldn't possibly know it was him, and even if she did she certainly wouldn't seek him out. She might have been able to develop feelings for him when he met her as a human, but not now. Not when he looked like this.

He opened his mouth to reply but was cut off.

"He's only a half-demon, Kagome. His aura would feel different from what you're used to," Sango interrupted crossly. "You put yourself in danger by coming here. I could have explained what you were feeling later."

"That's not—"

"Shut up!" He pushed away from the tree without thought, his sudden anger fueling him. "Don't talk as if you know me."

At the sign of danger, Miroku hurriedly slid between him and Sango, gun ready. His face was set, and Inuyasha realized too late that he had been their target from the beginning. So that's how it was. A low growl escaped his throat, even as he realized that he couldn't win this time.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to apprehend you now."

The girl was busy looking after Kagome. His eyes flicked in her direction at the mere thought of her name, and he was met with the image of her worried face. He hated to cause her pain. The one in front of him had an injured leg. Inuyasha fought the urge to glance behind him, but his ears betrayed him, a visual indiction of his plans.

"You won't be allowed to escape."

He was off in an instant, tearing across the ground toward the closest patch of trees, arms thrown back behind him. His feet echoed the pounding of his heart as he forced himself to run faster. Almost there.

The first bullet tore through his left shoulder; he faltered as a second embedded in his back near his spine. His breathing was heavy, painful. He was mere feet from the edge of the clearing. Not good enough.

Miroku took aim again, and panicked, Kagome clenched her eyes shut. _Please._ She dropped to the ground hard without hesitation and felt her breath be forced from her lungs by the impact, felt the dry leaves scratch against her cheek and the hot tears on her face.

"Kagome!"

Miroku glanced behind him in reflex at Sango's sudden cry. "What happened?"

Kagome opened her eyes slowly, raising her hand shakily to her forehead, fighting the urge to search for him. Did he make it?

Miroku was suddenly at her side. "Don't move her; she could be in shock." Or some other side effect of her undiscovered powers. He left the thought unsaid, instead focusing his attention on attending to the girl.

Kagome made sure to take her time as she sat up. Fake or not, the fall had hurt. "No, I'm okay. I just felt dizzy is all."

Miroku nodded and glanced to Sango who was off without a word in the direction that Inuyasha had been heading, gun pointed skyward in a two handed grip as she quickly disappeared into the surrounding woods. It wasn't long before she returned, shaking her head.

Kagome sighed, unsure if she had done the right thing. So he had gotten away.

"He won't get far with two hollow-points. I'll call a team to set up a parameter."

Miroku nodded at her words, and tried not to grimace. Now that the immediate danger had passed, the pain in his leg was beginning to set.

"Do you think he'll already be dead?" Kagome spoke up softly, trying not to sound too interested.

"Not if we can get to him first," Miroku answered. "It seems he's fallen out of Naraku's favor."

"Don't worry, Kagome," Sango offered with a reassuring smile as she produced a small cell phone from the lining of her suit jacket. "They're just spelled bullets meant to put him to sleep. We'll be able to pick him up quickly and give him the medical attention he needs."

* * *

But they weren't able to pick him up quickly. For all reasonable purposes it seemed the half-demon had dropped off the face of the earth. Kagome sat in the all too familiar underground medical facility that as it turned out was actually an entire underground network. Which made her question who was really part of the underworld here. But there wasn't time for irony. By the time they had arrived, it was Miroku who had fallen into shock. Several hours had passed and he had been declared stable, but Sango had yet to leave his side, and Kagome mostly just felt as if she were in the way. She had left the room, muttering something about finding a drink machine, but had ended up wandering aimlessly. A little too late, she realized that she had stumbled into the lockup. 

"You smell like wolf, priestess."

She jumped at the sound of the voice to her left, and turned slowly as if trapped in a horror movie. "But that was a day ago."

She hadn't meant to speak out loud, and the demon laughed at her naivety. "Wolf and dog. The prince won't be too happy if he catches you with another's scent. I suggest you wash it off before you next see him."

She stepped closer to the containment facility, which appeared to be nothing more than a giant chainlink cage, but stopped short when she sensed the familiar hum of the metal. "You know Kouga."

It wasn't a question.

The demon leaned against the wall looking both bored and angry. "I know _of_ him. If I had money like him, I wouldn't be in here either. I know of you, too."

The way he grinned at her with his pointy teeth and carnal eyes sent shivers down her spine. She could feel that itchy, burning sensation behind her skin again and felt herself becoming hysterical. "How? How do you know me!"

She had slammed her fists against the cage, and he was suddenly there. She hadn't even seen him move. And somehow she knew that he wasn't one of the powerful ones. He wasn't like Kouga or _him_. The thought was breathtaking that even weak demons would have this kind power, but a female agent had noticed their interaction and was already pulling Kagome away gently but firmly.

"Ms. Higurashi, you shouldn't be in here. Is there something you were looking for?"

She could hear the urgency in the woman's voice, feel the tightness of her grip even as she smiled. So even she knew her name. She fought the urge to glance over her shoulder to the demon who held a clue to her circumstances, teased her with his smile and dark eyes. The double doors swished closed behind her, again reminding her of her first impression of a hospital, and then they were alone in the hallway.

"I was–I was looking for a snack room," she answered lamely.

The agent stared at her intently, and just when Kagome decided that she wasn't buying it, the woman offered a congenial smile. "Of course, it's this way. You must be fatigued."

Only when they arrived at the closet sized room did her grip loosen. Sango was waiting for her at the small table near the coffee machine. She looked up with dull eyes but smiled as the woman excused herself, leaving them alone.

"Miroku's going to be fine. They got him all stitched up."

Kagome already knew this, but decided not to mention it. "That's good to hear," she offered as she slid into a chair at the table, opposite of Sango.

"He's been hurt worse, really. I don't know what came over me," Sango continued, clutching a manilla envelope tighter to her chest as she spoke. She let out a deep sigh and seemed to regain herself somewhat. "He thinks it would be best to show this to you." Her words trailed off, and she slid the envelope across the table slowly before finishing, "after what happened today."

Kagome expected her heart to be racing or that she should at least feel nervous. But looking at the plain envelope on the faded plastic surface, she mostly felt empty. For a moment she thought about refusing, finally feeling a surge of emotion—anger for all the danger and disruption that had come into her life, but it wasn't Sango or Miroku's fault. So she opened it, spilling the contents out onto the table top and tossing the envelope to the side.

"They're pictures of me."

* * *

Inuyasha blinked weary eyes open and tried to focus on the image before him. It appeared to be a wall. "I'm alive?" 

His voice cracked, and he swallowed painfully against his dry throat. A face suddenly came into view, youthful and grinning but no more than a blurred image from the rapid movement. "Yeah, thanks to us."

He recognized the high-pitched voice immediately and cringed. "I thought I told you to get lost."

"Good thing for you, I didn't listen."

Inuyasha closed his eyes to block out the brat and let out a deep breath, feeling as if the very life was leaking out of him in the process. "And what do you mean 'us'?"

"I found you in the Dumpster."

That's right; he had been frantic then. Unable to run any further, he had been desperate for a place to hide. Inuyasha raised his head in response to the unfamiliar voice and realized that he was lying on his stomach across a wooden table, face tilted to the side. The kit was staring at him, silently with glee, and he frowned, trying to rise up completely but found the action too painful.

"Lie down, fool."

He recognized it as a woman's voice, and he complied unwillingly as his strength gave out. "Who are you, and what are your intentions."

His attempt to sound threatening fell flat, and even the kit began to ignore him. Finally the woman came into view, as she moved about the room, gathering items along the way. Her elderly body was stooped, and she absently brushed back a stray wisp of long, gray hair. It was only when she turned to face him that he noticed the eyepatch.

"You may call me Kaede. I am the one who removed the sleepers from your flesh. The spells had already taken effect when I found you."

He felt the warm touch of her wrinkled fingers as they brushed the bare skin of his back.

"I retired from the Patrol some years ago. You're lucky to be alive."

"I'm not here for a lecture," Inuyasha snapped, trying once more to rise. So she was one of _them_.

She pressed on his back firmly and he collapsed in a wave of agony. "Hag, how dare you," he seethed, digging his claws into the table.

"I stitched up your wounds, but they're still fresh. You shouldn't try to move for a few days."

None of this made sense. "What do you want from me?"

He heard her sigh patiently, and felt the cool wetness of the ointment where she applied it to his wounds. "I've been taking care of Shippou since the Ookami tribe is not yet capable of protecting him."

Inuyasha felt his ears flick at the idea but remained motionless otherwise. At least the kid had found someplace safe to stay. "But he's a demon."

"He's a child." Kaede sent Shippou out of the room to play, not wanting him to hear where the conversation was going. "He also told me how you spared him. That's a risk you didn't have to take."

Inuyasha didn't answer, hoping she would drop the conversation. It seemed to work, and after a while her hands stilled. Maybe she would leave him alone now.

"What did you do to get the Patrol interested in a half-breed like you?"

His fist slammed through the table, and suddenly it didn't hurt to move in his anger. "You want to feel the pain of my claws, old hag?"

This time his threat sounded sincere.

Kaede gave another one of her patient sighs, and he nearly vomited when she dug her fingers into the wound near his spine. Blood oozed out from the re-opened wound and he collapsed to the table once more, grinding his teeth to keep from crying out. When he didn't answer, she forced her fingers deeper, and he cried out loudly.

Finally, she relented and waited silently until his was able to answer, "I was set up."

He was too hurt to feel angry and lay unmoving as she tended once more to his back.

"Why?"

"Because I became too close to a human—a girl." He spoke without thought, too exhausted to regret it at the moment.

"The young priestess?"

Inuyasha felt himself slipping back into unconsciousness as he replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Whew! This took forever to get out. Extra long chapter for the extra long wait. :) And if you like this story be sure to check out the one I'm co-writing with LadyPenguin called "Blood Fang" at www. fanfiction. net /u/ 1100478/

* * *

Kagome could feel her heart beating in her throat, and she was about to choke on it. They weren't just pictures of her—they were pictures of _them_. Every single photograph. He was in every last one. She stared at a close-up shot of the boy's face, mesmerized by his familiar scowl and bright, golden eyes. In this one, he was scanning the area intently, watching for something. Maybe even waiting for her. In one photo he was reaching up to brush the bangs from his eyes.

Sango spoke to break the awkward silence. "The Patrol's intelligence office keeps a listing of those with spiritual abilities across the country. Those of interest are assigned agents to keep a loose watch on them and report their findings regularly in between other assignments. After your police report we began a more thorough surveillance. I'm sorry we didn't notice him before, Kagome."

She looked up blankly as if processing the meaning to her words for the first time. "This is why you've been following me?"

Sango looked slightly shameful before answering, "No."

When Sango didn't elaborate, Kagome returned her gaze to the photographs. "Why? Why has he—when did—how long has he been stalking me?" She choked on the word 'stalking' but forced it out. That's what it was after all.

Sango sighed and raked a hand through her hair slowly, not ready for this line of questioning. "We don't know exactly. Could be weeks or months. He knows your schedule, Kagome. He knows your patterns." She didn't want to tell her that they believed he had been sent from Onigumo. It was best if she was ignorant of some things, like the danger she was in.

There was something bothering Kagome about his appearance in the pictures. She could feel it nagging at her more so than Sango's disclosure. In too many of the photos he looked saddened like he traveled with a weight on his soul. Had she ever seen him smile? The thought struck her odd, after all she had only met him once, right? It was starting to come together painfully, something about the night she had been attacked and the familiarity of his scent earlier that day—and then she realized what had been bothering her. As she stared at those penetrating eyes, they gazed right back at her. In that picture and in another and this one, too, he was looking directly at the camera.

"He knew you were watching him."

* * *

She was weak and never had a chance against him. After all, she was only a woman.

Specifically, she was Naraku's kept woman which was why Kouga, prince of wolves and rival to the Onigumo clan, was currently idling at the forest's edge. Honestly, he didn't have the desire nor the patience for this stuff. But that didn't change anything in the end.

He tensed at the sound of her approaching footfall, raising cerulean eyes impassively to greet her and remained otherwise unmoving where he leaned against the tree, arms crossed stiffly over his chest. She already smelled of death.

"You have information about the jewel of four souls."

It was barely a question.

She nodded once, and remained otherwise unresponsive.

"You know I can't let you live," he drawled, lips twisting into a half-sneer meant to reveal his fangs.

She smiled then with those sad brown eyes, and he realized why she had contacted him.

The thought made him uncharacteristically squeamish, but he pushed it aside quickly. Emotions like compassion or pity could get you killed far too easily on the battlefield.

"You were correct to assume the young priestess is connected to the jewel, though your nose probably told you that more than anything."

She was taunting him. "Get to the point," he nearly growled.

"Frustrating that she, herself, has no clue, isn't it? You must want to find it something terrible."

Frustration didn't even begin to convey how he felt. If the bitch wasn't going to tell him anything of importance he was wasting his time here.

It was only when he turned to leave that she added, "It's closer than you want to believe."

Suddenly, it felt as if the blood would gouge the insides of his veins, and he found himself unable to walk away. His jaw hurt where he ground his teeth. He didn't want to hear this, but his legacy depended on it. He wouldn't abandon his tribe. "She doesn't know where the location is."

_Don't let it be true._

"She **is** the location."

He let out his breath slowly, feeling as if his soul leaked out in the process. After several moments, he gave a curt nod. The woman had provided the information he desired so he would give her what she wanted. After a deep intake of breath, he turned with supernatural speed, claws extended for the strike. She had a moment to flinch, brown eyes wide in surprise, but otherwise made no effort to move or block the attack. He could feel his claws slide into the soft center of her stomach, already buried to the palms and coated with her blood, the force of his attack dragging her to the ground. He was already straddling her, one palm staining the cloth on her shoulder—a needless precaution. She coughed once, weakly, and licked her lips, painting them red in the process. And then everything turned surreal.

She was pressing her hands over his, putting pressure on the wound numbly and groaned, her eyes momentarily clenched in pain.

"He's going to take her from you." She smiled, flashing crimson teeth.

He leaned over her, his hair spilling forward to tickle the side of her face—a curtain of black, caressing her skin where he would not. She opened her eyes slowly to look up at him, and all semblance was gone. His mouth was suddenly dry, his stomach threatening to empty on him as he locked gazes with her, unable to comprehend the sight before him.

_Dark blue. _

"Kagome?" His voice cracked on her name, even as his body began to tremble. It wasn't possible.

He stared into the depths of those familiar eyes, unable to tear his gaze away and could see there a longing for things lost, unspoken grievances. She reached up, slender fingers encircling his throat, smearing hot blood across the skin. He jerked at her touch, eyes wide open and unbelieving as he watched her fade away slowly, her hands finally loosening to fall back to her side.

Once more she was the woman who had turned sad, brown eyes to him for relief.

_Shit._ He raked a slick hand through his hair shakily, jerking the dark strands loose from their tie as he stood, trying not to stumble. So the bitch had gotten to him in the end. He didn't bother to look back when he took off, a slew of curses left in his wake.

He was going to need a shower before his visit to the Patrol.

* * *

"He's no amateur, Kagome."

Sango had always been impressed with Kagome's perceptiveness, but she was finding it quite troublesome to her cause at the moment. If the girl knew why she was being targeted, who knew what rash decisions she might make.

"You know why he was following me." It wasn't a question.

She let the words hang in the air for several moments before reluctantly answering, "Kagome, please it's classified. Just trust me, okay?"

Sango reached out to take her hand comfortingly, but Kagome prevented her actions by standing up abruptly, her chair scraping harshly against the floor as she pushed away from the table.

"You're telling me that I don't have a right to know my own information?" She had to fight to keep from yelling as she continued angrily, "This is my life!"

She slammed her palm down on the table, refusing to react to the burn that raced up her arm to her elbow as result. "And what about this one?"

Sango peered down at the place where Kagome slid her hand away and felt her mouth go dry. The black and white photo was crinkled under the abuse of her palm but the image was all too clear.

It was a boy–the same boy–for it had to be judging from his facial features, only he was unmistakably human. And from the look on Kagome's face, she knew that something was terribly wrong concerning that aspect.

"Kagome, please tell me you don't know him."

* * *

Kouga had recognized her scent as soon as he stepped off of the elevator onto the underground level. But there was something else he was smelling, mingled with her sweet aroma, and the realization made his fists clench. He bit back a snarl and stiffly headed in the direction of her presence.

He paused at the sound of Sango's angry voice, momentarily unsure of himself, and then the door opened and Kagome came bolting out without warning. He had an instant to comprehend the sight of her tear-streaked face just before she ran blindly into his chest.

He put his arms around her gingerly, feeling a range of shifting emotions at the sight of her. "Kagome. What's wrong?"

Somehow all of his anger had drained away.

The female agent was standing just inside the doorway staring at him with hollow eyes.

He was speaking before he realized it, leading her away slowly, while she still clung to him. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

She leaned her head on his shoulder gratefully, letting him lead her down the hallway as she wiped at her eyes, already embarrassed at her emotional outbreak. He turned his head slightly to catch of whiff of her silky hair and was instead reminded of his earlier irritation.

The stench (yes, stench, because there was no other word for it) of Onigumo's half-breed was all over her, making him furious. She had been in danger, and he hadn't been there to protect her. _How dare he touch her. _And then he realized, it wasn't just concern for her safety that he was feeling. For the first time in a long time, Kouga truly felt jealous. But he could certainly fix that.

She was chattering endless nonsense, trying to sooth the dull ache in her chest with the sound of her own, calm voice, willing her hands to stop trembling even as she glanced to him with fake smiles and crinkled eyes. He was watching her intently as they progressed down the colorless hallway, but he couldn't focus on her words. Instead, he found himself drawn to the contour of her lips, mesmerized by their simple movement as they pursed and parted, pouted, piqued him. And then he was moving without thought of consequence, watching the impact of her body where it hit the cinder block wall as if from a distance, unable to comprehend the weight of his own actions even as he pressed himself against her–into her–and felt the heat of her where their skin touched. It was her surprised yip at the unexpected action that brought him crashing back to reality, but it was too late to turn back now. It was _his_ scent she should be wearing, the presence of another's maddening him to the point of action.

"Kouga, wha–"

His lips were suddenly there, cutting off her words completely. Kagome "mmphed" into his mouth in surprise, the reaction quickly becoming a quiet moan when he refused to relent, instead forcing her lips to part for him as he deepened the kiss. Her breath hitched in her throat, and with eyes closed, hands sliding to rest against his chest, she opened to him. She was drowning in the sensation of it all, savoring the warm wetness of his mouth, and suddenly found it hard to breathe. What was she doing?

She tried to push him away, becoming more frantic when he refused to break the kiss, instead a low growl rising deep within his chest as he pinned her wrists above her effortlessly, raking his free hand up the inside of her thigh slowly, the pressure from his claws against her jeans making the skin tingle. She began to buck against him lightly in her struggle, causing him to grasp her hip to steady her as he pressed his body harder against her, whining at what she did to him. _Oh god, don't do that. _

Finally, he broke the kiss, afraid if he didn't he would lose control, and caught her cobalt gaze with a lazy grin. Only his eyes gave him away, dark and churning emotion, intently searching for any sign that she might want him, too, feel the things he had just felt, need his touch as much as he wanted hers.

"Kouga, stop. Someone will see us."

She was nearly panting, her body clearly having reacted to his advances.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" His voice was languid, calm, cocky.

Her body burned where she was trapped against him, thirsty for attention, craving more of his touch. _No._ And he couldn't possibly care about her. "Yes."

He leaned forward, and she thought he would kiss her again, but instead she felt the hot touch of his breath on her ear.

"You're mine, Kagome. Tell me you don't want it."

She was shifting against him again, futilely, frowning in annoyance as she squirmed. "Don't talk like you own me."

He chose not to respond by words but instead with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue. She melted against him, eyes sliding closed even as the whine escaped from her throat. He was working his way down, licking and sucking at the feverish skin of her throat when she convulsed against him suddenly, blue eyes wide in surprise as she cried out wordlessly. He pulled away abruptly, ending her orgasm before it could even start and leaving her with the barren feeling of his absence. Anymore and she wouldn't have forgiven him. Besides, he had accomplished what he set out for: it was_ his_ scent that now completely covered her body.

* * *

It had been three weeks since Kouga had walked her home that night. And somehow the memory of that kiss still burned on her lips. It was then that she had agreed to be "his woman." The thought of it made her blush a little, but really not much had changed. Kouga was understandably busy so she had barely seen him twice since then. All in all, it didn't make for much of a relationship. How could she trust that he cared about her when he was never around?

To keep her mind off things, she had re-devoted herself to her studies, but her grades hadn't seemed to improve any. So much for grad school. And she hadn't seen the white-haired boy since that day. It was stupid to keep thinking about him. Especially now that she had a boyfriend. But somehow she couldn't get the image of that black and white photo out of her mind. The only thing she had managed to pry out of Sango and Miroku thus far was his name.

Inuyasha.

But in the end, they hadn't even guaranteed that it wasn't merely a codename. He had saved her life twice, and she knew nothing about him. It was extremely frustrating.

The truth was, she had been more than a little lonely. Even the Patrol had abandoned her a little less than a week ago. As quickly as her life had changed, it had seemingly gone back to normal.

"_There's been an increase in spiritual activity going on lately. I've been called to other assignments since you are no longer in any immediate danger."_

Of course Sango hadn't elaborated on how, why or when she had been in any immediate danger.

"_I'll be checking up on you from time to time and Miroku will, too, once he's finished with his rehabilitation so you've got nothing to worry about, Kagome."_

_She slid the objects across the table slowly, a solemn look on her face. _

"_But just in case, I want you to have these."_

Kagome fingered the small handgun thoughtfully. Inuyasha had given up on her, too, chased away by the Patrol. She had become increasingly sensitive to the demonic presences around her, proof of it from her time spent near the Patrol's lock up or with Kouga's wolf gang. But not once had she felt anything similar to what had lead her to him that time. It was probably better that way. After all, wasn't he the enemy?

Still, she had never thanked him.

* * *

"She's out of your league, Inuyasha."

It was something he had told himself hundreds of times over, but somehow hearing it from the old hag made him furious at the thought. "You think I don't fucking know that?"

He shattered a ceramic vase without thought. Kaede sighed, refusing to lose patience again. Had her hair not already been gray before taking in the half-demon, it surely would have turned by now. The boy had quite the destructive streak when he was angry, and he was always angry.

"She's human." He let his shoulders droop at his own explanation, dropping the cluster of crushed daises at his side, in the process littering the vase which they had previously occupied. He stared at the ruin on the ground, his eyes a swirl of complex emotions.

"Because she's a priestess," Kaede corrected dryly. "She's in a dangerous state right now; she could purify you if you get too close."

He looked up suddenly, surprise widening the features of his face. "What?"

"Why do you think you are drawn to her so strongly? She possesses the jewel you subconsciously seek. She'll protect it with her life without choice or thought, against friend or foe, Inuyasha."

"No. It's not like that. I'm not some mindless animal!" He seemed almost horrified at the accusation, unwilling to accept it even as the doubt and uncertainty twisted painfully inside his chest. "I'm not—"

"No? Tell me then, Inuyasha, who is it that slaughtered those fugitives two years ago? You've got human blood on your hands. I've seen the pictures in your file."

She saw the memory and regret flood his eyes even as he lowered his face to hide behind his bangs. His fist was shaking at his side as he ground out, "It's not—it was an accident. They were . . . unfortunate enough to run into me right after a mission. I wasn't myself yet."

He looked to her suddenly, eyes wide and pleading. The sincerity of it surprised her, but she had to know.

"And the child?" She could feel the hardening in her face even if she did pity him.

His face paled, and for a moment she thought he'd be sick.

"I didn't. I swear. They had this little girl. She—but I couldn't—They—"

He choked and suddenly took off, jaw clenched in determination. He paused at the door long enough just to shout back at her, "I won't let anything happen to her."

"If you go to her you will only cause trouble!" she called after him, but the stubborn boy was already gone.

"Geeze," the young fox sighed and crossed his arms over his chest where he sat on the kitchen counter. "He wasn't even healed yet."

* * *

He was panting, the wounds near his spine reopened in his haste. He slid down the cool, stone wall of the alleyway for a rest, no longer able to scale the buildings or race across rooftops. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. What was he doing? He had absolutely no plan of action. If he ventured too close to Kagome's house he would surely be found out. It had nearly been a month since he had seen her. Maybe the old hag was right and he should just leave her alone. But he couldn't do that. He had made a promise to protect her even if it was just to himself, even if she didn't know or care either way. He groaned bitterly at the thought.

"I miss her."

The words sounded hollow to his ears, the confession flat and pitiful. His situation really was hopeless.

"How utterly touching."

_Kagura._

He felt the cold fear snake down the side of his face, numbing his jaw and teeth, an instantaneous reaction even as his gold eyes opened wide in the direction of her voice. The blades were already hurtling down onto him, already licking at his skin in anticipation, a precision execution worthy of her rank. His voice cracked as he cried out in unspeakable pain, frozen even as the wind's edge slashed and ruined his skin. He slumped over, limp as if the strings holding him up had been severed completely. Next would be the thin thread of his fate.

A breeze billowed in the narrow alleyway as the female demon landed before him.

"First the wolf boy and now you. When did my life become so damned boring?"

She was tapping her fan impatiently against her lips, maroon eyes narrowed and calculating as she watched him clutch his side shakily to slow the blood flow. "By all means do _something_."

When he made no move to attack, she sighed, dropping her arm apathetically. "I suppose you'll die there if I just leave you. Or rather you _should_ if you know what's best for you."

He looked up at her, distrust and tears staining his face. It took her a moment to realize he was growling.

She plucked the tiny, alabaster feather from her hair with a fluid flick of her wrist, and was within moments airborne. "If anyone asks, I never found you."

She glanced back one last time, an unreadable expression on her face as she disappeared into the night clouds.

* * *

She was dreaming about a precious jewel when she saw him. The waist deep water was black, his white hair instantly catching her eye where it blurred on the rippling surface.

"Where have you been?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, pressing himself against her back. She could feel his breath on her neck, and she shivered in the cold night air. He moved one hand up the front of her slowly, his palm brushing across her left breast to rest over her palpating heart.

"Right here."

She stared into the endless void of the water, mesmerized as his fangs elongated, gleaming in the moonlight where they bit into his bottom lip, his thick hair billowing in a wind she could not feel. She gasped at the feel of his hot tongue on her skin, and then his claws dug into her chest. The scream caught in her throat, unspeakable pain, and then he was gripping that same jewel in his hand now pink with her blood, his scarlet eyes wild and terrifying when he looked at her. He threw her to the side without a word, discarding her roughly, and she gasped when she hit the cold water, the force plunging her into the dark depths of the lake.

Kagome was instantly jarred awake, the final image haunting in her mind as she clutched at her chest painfully, eyes wide and unseeing in the darkness. It was the third night this week she had dreamed about him, and this one was by far the most disturbing. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself. It was only a nightmare.

But then she felt it. That tiny prickling in the back of her mind. And she reopened her eyes.

_He's out there. _

Silently, she padded to the window and threw it open, savoring the sudden blast of summer breeze in her face as she leaned out to peer at the moonless sky. After a few moments of waiting, she sighed in disappointment. There was nothing to indicate that her instincts had been right. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. She stared down at the midnight grass below, dark and unchanging in the absence of light.

Kagome threw on a tank top and jeans and rushed down the stairs, grabbing her bag on the way out, not bothering to close the window.

* * *

It had only taken three days to fully heal the deepest of Kagura's cuts, but the unnatural damage from the sleepers was taking much longer. Inuyasha gritted his teeth as he slid down slowly in the now familiar alley. It was a humiliating way to survive, but he didn't have much choice until he fully recovered, and now on the night of the new moon, he was finding the wounds to be taking an even harder toll on his human body. All in all, he had started to regret leaving the protection of the old hag, a rash decision seemingly with many consequences. It made him furious to be in this situation in the first place. If only he had more power. . .

A car engine shutting off near by instantly caught his attention. It was unusual for a vehicle to be out at night unless it was demon or police related. Had the Patrol finally located him? He crept toward the opening and peered out from the shadows, surprised to find a very unsure looking Kagome scan the area before taking off in the direction of local park. His eyes widened at the sight, confused and unbelieving. What the hell was she doing in the downtown district this late a night? What if she—Inuyasha choked at the thought, forcing himself to his feet to stumble stiffly after her.

* * *

He rounded the corner, and she was suddenly before him. His eyes widened at the confrontation, and she knew then that they were indeed violet. Her face remained hard as she questioned, "Why were you following me?"

He was more than a little surprised at the situation but opted to respond with his usual callous silence, hardening his face to keep from giving anything away. What he really wanted to ask was why the hell she was out here. Did she have some kind of death wish?

His eyes widened, and he stepped back shakily when he felt the hard press of the barrel against his stomach. Her expression remained cool, and his heart sank at the severity of his situation. It was obvious that she knew. She stood tense, gun pointed in a two-handed grip to keep from trembling. He frowned then; she was waiting for his move. He knew he could easily overpower her, but instead he slowly raised his hands to rest on his head, fingers interlocked. He stood silent, waiting for her move.

"Catch," she said, tossing a sleek pair of new cuffs his way.

"Where did you get these?" he scowled as he snatched them out of the air. He had a sinking feeling he already knew the answer to that question.

The gun never wavered. "Put them on. No, behind your back."

He complied, feeling more and more desperate by the second. He should have known this was how it would end. But he didn't want to accept it. He didn't want it to happen this way. And the cuffs were going to cause a problem should he need to escape; he was fairly certain they'd be resistant even to his demonic strength when it returned in the morning.

"Sit. There on the curb."

Her voice was hard, leaving him empty and emotionless. He sat slowly, trying to hide his wince at the pain and it was then that she noticed the blood on his clothing. When he had sat with his back to her, she checked the cuffs, making sure to tighten each one. He swore, despite himself—he had not tried to deceive her, and now the metal dug into his skin, cutting off his circulation. "What now?" He could hear the tightness in his voice.

"We talk."

She sat next to him, gun pointed carefully at the ground, and he felt her side press against him like a comforting weight. He sighed, letting all of his emotions leak into that one action. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be a two-sided conversation.

"It's not safe for you to be out here."

She ignored his statement, instead explaining, "I've seen pictures of what you are."

He lowered his face slightly, hiding his eyes behind his dark bangs. He had known she'd see them eventually; he'd been reckless to stick around this long. At least she wasn't going to waste any time destroying him.

She studied him carefully but was unable to discern his thoughts. It didn't help that his face was partially hidden. "I think you're gorgeous."

He looked to her then, and she saw the hurt that filled his eyes. It pained her to see such a deep emotion even though she didn't know why. She watched the surprise, uncertainty and hope fill his features at her words, each of them flickering away to be lost in the dark void of his eyes after only a second. He left his questions unspoken, unable to voice them.

"Why have you been following me?"

He looked away again, his hair falling forward once more. "You already know that."

Was he referring to that first night when he so mysteriously walked into her life? The memories came flooding back to her, painful and disjointed. _Because I love you. _"I don't understand."

He remained silent, not knowing what to say.

"Why?"

"Please, don't make me answer." The words were strained and left him feeling hollow, like he'd just sold his soul. He didn't know what he'd do if the Patrol had told her who he worked for. How could he possibly explain to her that he never meant to hurt her? How could he think she'd ever believe him.

She sat silent for a moment, and just when he thought she'd press it, she continued, "How long then."

He could have lied, but it wouldn't have mattered at this point. "Almost two years."

He heard her gasp and felt his breath come out a little shaky as he stared at the ground; he couldn't bear to look at her. Hadn't he had a nightmare about this once?

"But—"

"Why do you think I was there to save you by the lake that night?" His voice cracked from his sudden emotion, and he turned to look at her with fierce eyes. "Did you think it was a coincidence that anyone else would be out there that night? That anyone would risk _their_ safety for yours?"

"I didn't—"

He leaned forward, cutting her off abruptly with his kiss. She blinked in surprise, barely registering the brush of his lips against hers or the salty taste of his skin before it was over.

"I suppose you'll turn me in to the Patrol now. That is where you got your shiny new toys." His voice was accusing and his jaw set as he refused to look at her, bitter at the thought.

She touched her fingers to her lips lightly, suddenly feeling guilty and confused. How had this turned around on her somehow? Sitting so close to him, he looked very human, and even if he was the mesmerizing half-demon that was stalking her, it was true that he had saved her twice now. Did she really need to fear the anxious, dark-haired boy who now sat at her side?

"No."

Again, he blinked in shock. How was it that she always seemed to surprise him? "Then what are you going to do with me?"

She sighed, and he felt her weight become more solid against him. "I'm tired, Inuyasha. Let's go home."


	8. Chapter 8

"You're driving with the lights off." He looked to her doubtfully, still not having mastered the elusive seatbelt.

She risked a glance and smiled, reaching over with her right hand to click the buckle in place. "Yeah."

"I can't see."

She didn't bother to look over this time as she answered. "You're not driving."

He shifted uncomfortably in the seat, and peered out the window at the roving shadows which he could only assume to be buildings in the darkness. "But how can—"

"Look, if we got pulled over we'd look pretty suspicious, wouldn't we? You want to tell the police what we're doing out past curfew?"

He sunk lower, gripping the sides of the seat and tried not to see out any of the windows. "Keh."

Kagome gave a sigh of relief when she finally shut the engine off in the driveway. Inuyasha had been on edge of a fatal accident, but she had been far more worried about the possibility of running into the cops or, worse, the Patrol. It was bad enough everything else that had gone wrong recently in her life but now she was harboring a fugitive, too? She let out a groan, rubbing her hands over her face in exasperation and managed to glance over just in time to watch Inuyasha try to crawl out the car door without first unbuckling.

"Jesus. Haven't you ever ridden in a car before?" She laughed despite her efforts to prevent it.

"Get this damn thing off of me."

"Don't break it; hold still." She pushed him back against the seat, pressing a palm against his chest as she leaned over to untangle the belt. He tensed and she looked up, suddenly aware of their proximity. For a moment, neither moved as Kagome stared into his eyes, and then her gaze flickered to his lips, inches away. She held it for a moment before hitting the release on the buckle and sliding out her side of the vehicle.

He watched her unlock the front door and slip inside before exiting the car and slamming the door. He followed her stiffly into the livingroom, taking in the familiar surroundings now foreign from the inside. Somehow he felt clumsy, an unwelcome intruder.

After locking the door, Kagome slipped her tennis shoes off and padded up the stairwell, not bothering to turn on the lights. He watched her ascend the staircase into the darkness silently, torn between his instincts as the distance between them grew. Finally, he forced himself jerkily forward, clenching his fists in determination.

"Kagome."

"Hmm?" She glanced back, showering him with a half-smile but kept walking and let the question hang.

She disappeared down the hallway, and he was left only to follow.

"Kagome." It came out more forcefully this time as he pushed the bedroom door open, catching a glimpse of her bareback as she pulled the silk camisole on over her head, already dressed in matching shorts.

She turned in response, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail as she waited for him to continue.

"I can't stay here."

She let her hands fall to her side, taking in his statement. After a few moments she questioned, "Where are you going to go?"

He shrugged, not wanting to admit to nowhere. "Wherever."

He could see the annoyance in her face, feel the weight of her anger even before she unleashed it. "Oh, you mean back to the slums and trash piles of alley ways? Or do you have somewhere better to be."

He was nearly growling, his face burning at the humiliation.

When he refused to answer, she continued with, "Did you hurt Sango? She told me you were dangerous."

He clenched his jaw and glared out the window behind her, angry at the situation._ If he told her. . . _"You wouldn't understand."

"Would you hurt me?"

"What? No. I—"

"Inuyasha." He paused at the sound of his name falling from her lips for the second time that night. She had crossed her arms, tightly shutting him out. "Is that even your name?"

He was drowning, but if she wanted to push him away, he wasn't going to stop her. He shrugged again, not bothering to meet her eyes. "Does it even matter?"

She fell silent for a moment before questioning, "How can you expect me to trust you then?"

He could hear the wavering uncertainty in her voice, the higher pitch as she became more hysteric.

"I never asked you to."

"I can't believe I even thought I could."

She was shaking her head, eyes clouded in disbelief and shimmering with the promise of tears. She stepped back, physically increasing the distance between them and brought her hands up to cover her eyes.

He scowled at the sight of her tears but refused to back down. He was finding it hard to keep his own voice steady in his anger. _How could he have thought. . . _Seething, he lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, forcing her wide eyes to meet his gaze. "Well, ain't that too fucking bad."

She was shocked, blinking at him with those deep blue eyes before the realization hit her. She jerked against his hold, but he had no intention of letting her go.

He leaned in, and she became aware of his body where it now pressed against hers. "There's a million reasons why you shouldn't trust me."

His breath came out hot against her neck; her face flushing in reaction.

"Get out." She was practically screaming at him, and it stung.

He dropped her wrist as if burned and turned toward the bedroom door, snapping back, "Fine. That's what I was trying to do anyway."

She was trying not to sob as he left her, but it still came out that way. "Why?"

He paused in the open doorway but refused to look back. "You won't like what you see in the morning. No reason to stick around till then."

When she didn't answer, he moved to leave but was caught from behind. He gasped from the pain and surprise of her weight against his back, her arms wrapped tight around his waist. "Please."

He stood stiff for a moment, afraid to give in.

When she choked against his back, "Don't leave me," he broke.

"Okay. Okay."

She let out a final sob and pulled away, already smearing the tears from her face. She caught his wince at the action, a look of concern instantly crossing her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

She slipped her hand inside his shirt and ran it across his back lightly, ignoring his protest until her fingertips brushed wetness. "God, you're bleeding. Take your shirt off; let me see."

Frustrated, he tried to pull away. "I said, 'it's nothing.'"

But she was already jerking at his clothing, and he found it hard to resist her attention. As soon as he was bare-chested, she spun him around to examine the damage. "These are from when you were shot? But that was a month ago."

He tried to turn around, but she stopped him. "They're mostly healed. It's not a big deal."

"Lie down on the bed; I'm going to get some warm water and towels. I'll see if there are any bandages left in the first aid kit."

She was ignoring him. And then she was gone.

He could hear her rummaging around in the bathroom, banging drawers and cabinets and eyed the bed wearily. He could put his shirt back on and resist, but he didn't really want to make her cry again. Hadn't he done enough damage for one night? And if he just took off it would probably have an even worse effect. She might never forgive him then.

"What are you doing? I told you to lie down."

"Look, wench—"

She set the supplies down on the desk, careful not the spill the water and turned her attention to him fully. He withered slightly under her stare—already so open and trusting, sighed and crawled onto the bed.

He tensed at the initial touch of her fingertips across his skin and then forced himself to relax as she began to dab gently at his shoulder wound. After a few moments, he closed his eyes and didn't even realize he was falling asleep.

He woke at dawn with the start of his transformation, surprised that he had drifted off. He fisted and then relaxed his hand as his claws returned, watching the muscles tense under his skin. It was a relief to have his strength back and yet he was half-expecting Kagome's shrill scream to break out at any moment. He glanced around quickly and found her asleep, propped on her knees, the front of her spilling forward onto the edge of the mattress by his side. He sat up abruptly at the sight, the bandages around his shoulder tightening across his chest and back from the twisting motion. He reached down, brushing his fingers across more bandages around his waist. When had she—?

He lowered his eyes to look at her and reached out to brush the smooth skin of her cheek with his knuckles. She slept with her head resting on her arms, her weight supported by the side of the bed. He slid off the mattress quietly and lifted her gently to lay her on top, tucking her under the covers before leaning his back against the wall at the foot of the bed. He breathed out deeply and closed his eyes trying to convince himself that he was making the right decision by staying.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes, slowly taking in the morning light. She felt groggy but warm and instinctively snuggled further under the covers. And then she remembered: there was a half-demon sleeping in her bedroom. She sat up quietly, careful not to wake him and peered down to the foot of her bed where he had propped himself against the wall. Silently, she pushed the covers aside and crawled toward the foot of the bed. His head rested against his chest as he slept, his bangs hanging forward to hide his eyes—ones she knew by now would be breathtakingly golden. She reached one hand out gingerly, wishing to know the texture of his ear against her fingertips, and it was then that he tensed.

"You're awake?"

He looked up at her slowly, warily, but didn't speak. Somehow the expression on his face made her heart ache.

She blushed slightly, suddenly embarrassed at her actions. "May I?"

He eyed her hand for a moment, still outstretched in the air, before flicking his gaze back to her face. "Yeah."

His ear twitched at her initial touch, but she saw his shoulders relax when she began to rub light circles down the back of it. She smiled despite herself, "Soft."

He smiled, almost reluctantly, back at her. "Yeah."

She reached for his hand, pulling him toward her. "Come lay with me. It's still early."

He blinked at her before allowing himself to be pulled up toward the mattress, his heart pounding painfully as he crawled after her. Images of his claws clumsily ensnaring and slicing through the pastel sheets flashed in the back of his mind followed by her horrified scream. _Monster._

"Kagome." His hoarse voice broke the silence, as she sat down on top of the comforter facing him.

"Hmm?"

She was still smiling at him, still trusting. He felt his throat close up, the words refusing to spill out. Recognizing his discomfort, she reached out to cup his face.

"Inuyasha—"

"I like it when you call me that. I don't—" He nearly winced at his jumbled confession. "Know my own name. It's all I have. I should have told you instead of . . . "

_Who gave you that? _He could see the question in her face, but since she didn't voice it, he didn't bother to answer. Instead, she leaned forward to press her lips against his.

He closed his eyes, feeling her mouth work against his and sighed, his chest shuddering from the force. Her hands fisted in his hair as she slid down underneath him, pulling him down on top of her, his weight pressing their bodies together in the process. He broke away to lick and suck at her neck, trailing wet kisses down her collar bone. He savored the sound of her moans and quiet panting, the feel of her squirming beneath him and thought he might burst. He pulled away, breathing heavy, eyes brimming with need.

"Kagome, we don't—"

She reached down and slid her camisole up over her head, dropping it over the side of the bed.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise, fists clenched at her sides where he propped himself over her, arms shaking slightly from the strain. "Kagome . . . "

He felt himself weaken as she brushed her fingertips across her right breasts, caressing it lightly and rubbing circles around her nipple. She reached up to trace those same fingers down his jaw line. "Have you watched me pleasure myself, Inuyasha?"

He looked away, unwilling to answer, face burning, and she knew he had.

"Did you want to participate?"

He felt angry and hurt, unsure how to react. "Why are you doing this?" Had she intended to torment him all along?

"Please, Inuyasha." She bumped her hips up against him slightly, indicating her desire. "I've been waiting for you."

His eyes widened at the thought and her actions. It was true that she hadn't been with any men, but he never thought—

"Kagome." He could hear the whine in his voice, felt himself losing control.

"Please, make me feel good. I want it to be you." She smiled up at him, and he knew somehow she meant it. It was crazy, and he couldn't understand it. He hesitated, and her smile waned. "You want to be with me, don't you?"

Hearing her sad words made him want to cry. He leaned down to kiss her lips once lightly. "I told you I loved you, didn't I?"

"Then you want me to pleasure you first?" Her fingers were already sliding over the fabric of his pants, pulling loose the ties and brushing over the bare skin of his stomach without waiting for an answer. He swallowed hard when her fingertips dipped dangerously lower.

"Wait."

He was straining from the anticipation of her touch, his breathing already heavy, his brain barely able to process thought anymore.

"I can't."

They held gazes for a moment, letting his words sink into the silence before he slid back and she sat up, swinging her legs over the edge. She sat there for a moment, eyes dull as she stared at the carpet and then rose stiffly to walk out the room, disappearing down the hall. He stared at the open doorway for a few minutes before hearing a door slam and then the sound of running water.

Kagome scrubbed at her face furiously in the shower, the hot water tinging her skin pink where it ran over her shoulders. She had left the door purposely unlocked, hoping he would come after her, but somehow she knew he'd be gone by the time she finished.

So she was surprised that he had remained unmoved on her bed when she returned. "Oh, you're still here?"

She pulled the towel tighter around her for protection as she walked to her dresser.

"You want me to leave?"

He was pouting, but for the life of her she couldn't understand why. Wasn't he the one who decided to call it off? She was the one whose pride should be hurting, not his.

She hugged the clothes to her chest and glared at him before dropping the towel. "Don't look."

He cringed at the tone of her voice, but complied. He clenched his hands where they rested on his knees and stared at the comforter in front of him. He had made her angry with him again.

"Two years."

He glanced up at the sound of her voice to see her fully dressed in jeans and a tank-top. Somehow he didn't like where this conversation was headed.

"You've been following me for two years."

"You're the one who asked me to stay. I never said—"

"Two years ago I nearly drowned."

He fell quiet, but she could tell from the clench of his jaw that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

He smiled, and it looked pained. "That was the night I met you. You were walking to your car after work."

Kagome had been half way across the parking lot when she remembered she had left her school books on the secretary's desk before cleaning the fifth floor. "Figures," she griped to herself before jogging back to the front door. She slipped back into the corporate building, not bothering to lock the door behind her. She had spotted Nate, the new security guard, doing some rounds earlier, and it would only take a moment. She was waiting impatiently for the elevator to arrive when she heard the front door open and then close.

After a few beats of silence, she called out, "I just left my text books upstairs. I'll be out in a second so you can lock up for the night."

Footsteps headed her way without an answer.

"Nate?"

She could feel her pulse beating in her throat like a trapped thing. If he was playing a joke on her swear to god . . .

The door open and closed a second time, and this time she heard the security guard's familiar voice. "Hey, you can't be in here. We're closed for the night."

There was a commotion, a yelp and a sickening thud. _Oh, god. _Kagome pressed her hands over her mouth to stifle a sob and flung herself into the stairwell, tears blurring her eyes.

"Shit."

She had enough time to hear his vehement curse before the heavy metal door slammed shut behind her. She was already up three flights of stairs by the time he exploded into the stairwell behind her. She was passing the fifth floor on pure adrenaline alone when he first began to catch up to her. Kagome threw herself into the sixth floor's door and burst sideways into darkness.

She was shaking, crawling her way through exercise equipment and weight machines when she heard the door to the stairwell creak open. If she just hid here . . .

The lights in the hallway flipped on with a fluorescent flicker and hum. Already the footsteps were coming closer. She slid against the wall, fingers trailing up and down as she moved. Somewhere there was a door that connected to the pool room which connected to the back stairwell. She slipped into the next room and took a moment to catch her breath, willing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She could make out the edge of the pools, one for laps, the other for diving, and there on the opposite side of the room was a dimly lit exit sign.

She could hear him in the recreation room behind her, already making his way to the door. She was off running once again, heart pounding wildly; this was her last chance. She had made it to the other side of the room when she went down with an "uuh," and the back of her head connected to smooth tile. She gasped, seeing bursts of tiny, colorful stars as she blinked into the darkness, fingers splayed across the cold, wet floor. _So close. _She rolled onto her side slowly, painfully and tried to push up even as she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness.

Inuyasha grunted in annoyance as he pushed past the final treadmill and into the next room. He paused and squinted into the darkness just in time to watch Kagome slip over the edge and into the water. Without thinking, he cried out.

"So you admit that it was you."

Inuyasha shrugged, still unmoved from his position on the bed. "I was hard up for cash back then, and you looked like easy prey."

"And now?"

He meet her gaze intensely. "I don't need money anymore, and you still look like easy prey."

She shifted her weight uncomfortably, bothered by his answer but too afraid to pry. "You never took any of my money."

He grinned almost sheepishly at her point. "Yeah, well, I figured you earned it after all that."

She didn't smile back.

His own smile withered away, and he let out a sigh. "I didn't mean for it to get that messy."

"So you've been following me out of guilt then."

"What? No."

She looked to him expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

"I saw you fall into the pool, and . . . I felt scared."

When Inuyasha didn't elaborate further, Kagome plopped down next to him on the bed and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"I don't understand."

He shrugged, not willing to look at her. "I don't try to."


End file.
